A Locksmith's Tale And Other Health Care Stories

As the debate over health care overhaul goes on and on and on and on, we thought we'd slip off and visit some people who have strong opinions about insurance. Nobody's elected them, nobody's paying them to influence anybody. They're just folks with their own notions. And, in some cases, rather odd notions.

Fine Without It

Lou Padilla doesn't consider himself a locksmith. He considers himself a lock expert. He's pretty good at fixing things, so when he broke his ankle a few years back, he decided to set it himself. His wife called him a "knucklehead". But he didn't have health insurance, and he still doesn't. He explains why.

Credit: An NPR/Robert Krulwich/Everynone Production

They Made It Impossible

Otis and Angela Prugal have managed for the most part to raise their young family without the security net of health insurance. But Angela had to skip a lot of medical care during her last pregnancy – with a brutal outcome.

Credit: An NPR/Robert Krulwich/Everynone Production

Thank God I Have It

One day, Stan Comora's tripped over his own feet, and was pretty sure he life would be over in minutes. He had fallen on a saw, cutting open an artery in his face. As blood gushed, a lot went through his mind. But guess what didn't....

Credit: An NPR/Robert Krulwich/Everynone Production

It's Risky For My Son

Rick Bartlett was floored when his son Trevor said he wanted to come home and work on the family orchard in Richmond, Mass. But the reality is, health insurance is forcing Trevor off his family's farm.

Credit: An NPR/Robert Krulwich/Everynone Production

My friends Will Hoffman and Dan Mercadante did the interviews and shot the videos. I think they're stunning to look at. Will and Dan have been busy on a joint project they call Everyone Forever Now, which captures folks doing ordinary things: lying on a sunny beach, sitting on a city stoop, shooting targets at a shooting range, pumping gas. When nothing in particular is going on, Will and Dan get very interested. See all of their work at Everynone.com.